1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nozzle plate. More particularly, the present invention relates to a nozzle plate with higher surface wear resistance and lower probability of jamming at the nozzle.
2. Description of Related Art
Digital jet-printing technology mainly relates to coat a carrier with tiny liquid drops according to a predetermined pattern. The ability of dwindling the liquid drops and control accuracy of a jet-printing position determine the level of printing resolution, and even the yield of a jet-printing element. Further, these qualities are closely related to the structure of the nozzle plate of the inkjet printhead. Therefore, the nozzle plate of a thermal bubble inkjet printhead or a piezoelectrical ink jet printhead has become a non-negligible key point of research and development.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,456 discloses a surface coating layer of a nozzle plate of an inkjet printhead, wherein the surface of the nozzle plate is fully coated with an anti-wetting material to form an anti-wetting layer. However, the inner edge of a nozzle near to the nozzle plate on the anti-wetting layer is easily wiped by a wiper used for cleaning and is thereby damaged, causing a deflection in direction of jetting the liquid drops.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,331 discloses a high efficiency nozzle plate and an inkjet printhead using the nozzle plate, wherein an anti-wetting material is formed at a recess of the nozzle of the nozzle plate to form an anti-wetting layer, such that the anti-wetting layer at the recess will not be wiped by the wiper used for cleaning. However, the residual solution at the recess of the nozzle cannot be wiped by the wiper, and jams the nozzle after drying.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,399 discloses an inkjet printhead and a fabricating method thereof, wherein after an anti-wetting layer is formed on a surface of the nozzle plate, a wettable layer is formed on the periphery of the nozzle of the nozzle plate surrounding the nozzle through a photolithography technique to separate currents of ink of different colors, thereby preventing inks of different colors from mixing with one another. However, the inner edge of the nozzle near to the nozzle plate on the anti-wetting layer is easily wiped by the wiper and gets damaged, causing a deflection in direction of jetting the liquid drops.
As current digital jet-printing technology is being continuously developed, industrial digital jet-printing technology has a development trend. Therefore, as for jet-printing requirements of industrial solution with multiple applications, the problems of how to enhance the surface wear resistance of the nozzle plate and overcome jamming at the nozzle of the nozzle plate have become increasingly important.